Businessman William Litherland fears trade at his barbers will be hit - after council bosses revealed plans to paint double-red lines outside his shop.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council wants to turn part of High Street, in Tunstall - between its junctions with Newfield Street and Smith Child Street - into a red route to try to tackle congestion.

It means drivers will not be able to park or even pull over between 7am and 9am and 4pm and 6pm Monday to Saturday - or they will be hit with a £70 fixed-penalty fine.

But that section of High Street currently has unrestricted parking and traders are fighting the red route plan.

Barber William Litherland is fighting plans for a red route outside his shop

William has operated The Cutting Cabin, on High Street, for the past seven years. It currently opens until 6.30pm on Fridays and until 6pm Monday to Wednesday.

The 27-year-old dad-of-three said: "I've been here for seven years and haven't seen any congestion in the area. It works how it is and I don't understand why this needs to happen. I get a lot of passing trade from people driving past and if they see red route signs then it will stop them coming in. I have a very good business and don't want to lose that.

Stoke-on-Trent City Council wants these 10 roads to become red routes:

The entire stretch of Waterloo Road - from Vale Place, in Hanley, to Swan Square, in Burslem - through Hanley, Cobridge and Burslem;

Wedgwood Street, in Burslem;

Scotia Road, in Tunstall;

Commerce Street, Market Street and King Street, in Longton;

City Road, Fenton;

The section of Victoria Road - between Victoria Place and Dewsbury Road - in Fenton;

The section of Leek Road from Joiners Square to City Road;

The section of College Road - between Avenue Road and Station Road - in Stoke;

Station Road, in Stoke.

"I feel penalised and ignored for not having my business further towards Tunstall where the red route has been completely forgotten about. I'm bitterly disappointed."

Fellow trader Bhupinder Kaur, from Summerbank News and Booze, said: "The red routes won't be good for business and I'm not happy about them. No-one will be able to make deliveries to the front door because they'll struggle to park."

Customers will be able to park in Newfield Street which currently has unrestricted parking. But residents say Newfield Street is already busy.

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Mashir Adam said: "So many cars park here and most of the time they don't belong to the people who live on the street. When my friends come to visit, they really struggle to find a space, and even taxis find it difficult."

The council is looking to turn 11 roads across the city into red routes. Its consultation with motorists has now finished.

Red Route double red lines in Hanley City Centre.

Councillor Daniel Jellyman, cabinet member for transport, said: "Drivers will still be able to park in the red route area between 9am and 4pm and have unrestricted parking 24/7 in Newfield Street."